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Italian Greyhound

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Italian Greyhound

Italian Greyhound Overview

Not to be confused with their slightly larger cousins, the Whippet, Italian Greyhounds are the miniature versions of the classic Greyhound. As the Greyhound’s toy breed, they share many qualities beyond looks. Lean, lanky, and elegant, the Italian Greyhound loves to run and play, but is also extremely delicate and sensitive. Bred for thousands of years, historians are unsure about whether they were initially intended for hunting or for companionship, as they are so good at both. They are also perfectly at home in urban and suburban environments.

With their intelligent and affectionate nature, they’re the ideal blend of playful and snuggly, making them great family dogs. These sweeties strongly crave human companionship and bonding. Likely, they’ll want to be in your lap or in your bed if you’re spending some quality time relaxing. Because of their small stature, Italian Greyhounds can be a bit skittish, so they’ll need some time to warm up to strangers, which is ironic because these beauties attract a lot of attention in public with their shiny cream, fawn, blue, red, white, or black coat that feels like satin!  With a body that has a low fat density, Italian Greyhounds need warm clothes in cold weather. What can we say? They’re stylish! 

Did you know?

Prized in the 16th century Italian royal court, Italian Greyhounds have been portrayed in paintings by Hieronymus Bosch, Giotto, and Caravaggio.

Italian Greyhound Stats

  • Kid-Friendly Kid-Friendly

  • Good with other animals Good with other animals

ranking
Popularity ranking**
74
Small
Size
13-15 in / 7-14 lbs (S)
lifespan
Average lifespan
14-15 years
Jogger
Activity level
Jogger
Independent
Temperament
Independent
Little to none
Barking level
Little to none
Coat length
Short
Grooming
Infrequent
Shedding
Medium

Caring for your breed

Daily serving

Daily kibble serving

2 cups

Daily exercise

Daily exercise

1 hour

Grooming

Grooming frequency

Brushed Occasionally

Dog Food

Feeding your Italian Greyhound

Adult Italian Greyhounds should eat 2 cups of high-quality dog food per day. Because Italian Greyhounds are quite slight in stature, they can very easily become overweight, so watching how much they eat is important. In training Italian Greyhounds, they react well to treats but try not to overdo it or you’ll risk obesity. In order to tell whether your Italian Greyhound is in a healthy weight range, you should not be able to see its ribs but you should be able to feel them beneath a thin covering of flesh. If your dog has thyroid issues, you’ll also want to find soy-free options. You should always have clean drinking water available for your dog. 

Comments

Footnotes
*Contrary to popular belief, there are no 100% hypoallergenic dogs. There are breeds, however, that have non-shedding coats and are suited well to allergy sufferers.
**The breed popularity ranking is based on the most current ranking of the American Kennel Club (AKC)

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